Social Work Assistant - Children in Care and Care Leavers

How you'll make a difference

As a Social Work Assistant in the Children in Care team, you will support children in care, their families and carers, helping to improve outcomes and promote stability. A key focus of your role will be supporting children to maintain meaningful relationships with family members and other important people in their lives, while contributing to plans that help children safely reunify with their families where appropriate. 

Building positive and trusting relationships with children and young people, you will help them express their wishes, feelings and views, ensuring their voices are heard and considered. Through targeted and compassionate support, you will deliver interventions that promote children's well-being, strengthen family relationships and help achieve the best possible outcomes for their future.

What you will be doing

• You will supervise family time between children and their families, supporting and appropriately challenging parents while ensuring the safety and wellbeing of the child at all times.
• Working under the direction of social workers, you will contribute to the development, delivery and review of plans and services, helping to shape effective interventions that drive positive outcomes.
• It will be your responsibility to recognise and respond to safeguarding concerns, escalating issues appropriately in line with safeguarding procedures. You will maintain accurate and confidential records, ensuring information is recorded in accordance with professional standards and council guidelines.  
• Working directly with children and their families, you will provide targeted family support and deliver defined pieces of work under the direction of a qualified social worker. These will include supporting plans of reunification, which could see you working directly with children, their parents or family members and carers. 
• A key aspect of your role will be liaising with social workers and external contacts, including education and health services, to ensure clear, effective communication and a coordinated approach to support.

What we need from you

• We require you to be educated to GCSE level, or equivalent, with considerable experience working within a children and families’ service. This experience should include involvement in assessment, service delivery and the preparation of clear, accurate written records and reports.
• It is essential that you have experience of dynamic risk assessment, with the ability to identify potential risks, make informed decisions and take appropriate action to ensure the safety and wellbeing of children and families. 
• Given the nature of your role, you will have a sound understanding of relevant legislation, regulations and professional codes of practice.
• Ideally, you will have experience and/or knowledge of child protection issues.

What you need to know

• We are also offering this as an internal secondment opportunity, you should first seek your line managers permission before applying. 
• Please note that due to the nature of this role it is a requirement of employment that an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check is obtained for this post.
• You will be expected to travel throughout the authority and surrounding area so you must have a full, valid driving licence with regular access to a vehicle or have an alternative means of travel.  
• Business insurance will need to be included in your current car insurance policy.

 

Interviews will be held week commencing Monday 5th October 2026

How a career at South Gloucestershire Council is different

• What’s special here is the strength of the team ethos. We are a relatively small local authority, so managers know staff well. They can plan their services to ensure teams have manageable caseloads and have effective supervision so feel supported to make decisions which are right for the children and young people they work with.  
• If you want to develop a specialism, you’ll get the support you need and your cases will be aligned with your areas of expertise.
• We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the safety and welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. Ensuring all our staff are given right skills, knowledge and support to recognise and respond effectively to potential abuse or neglect.
• We recognise that our diverse team of skilled and dedicated people make us a great place to work. We welcome applications from everyone and ensure that individuals are selected, promoted and developed on the basis of their merits and abilities. 

 

Our teams at South Gloucestershire Council are making a real difference to the lives of people who live, work and learn here.  

• We're building and shaping communities which people are proud of.
• We're working with the most vulnerable in our community to help them achieve what they want in life.
• We're investing in our schools to ensure every child and young person in South Gloucestershire achieves their full potential.   

 

We've achieved a great deal, but we need talented and dedicated people to ensure we continue to make a difference. 

We’re making a difference, be part of it!   

To view the full job description, please click this link: Social Work Assistant 2025 Job Description